A typical water well is a hollow shaft bored into the ground lined with a casing that has penetrations at the level of the water-bearing strata of the ground. The penetrations allow water to flow into the shaft that may then be pumped out of the shaft. However, in some wells the water does not enter the shaft at a rate (the re-fill rate) sufficient for the peak usage needed by their users. When the rate at which water is extracted from the well shaft exceeds the rate at which water enters the shaft from the strata, the water level in the shaft will get lower and lower. Eventually, the water level may drop to the bottom of the shaft and the well is said to have “dried up”, at least temporarily. Running a well dry or nearly dry can damage the pump, which typically is designed to have water for cooling and lubrication. Running a well dry or nearly dry can be bad for the well in other ways. When the water level in the shaft is below the water table level in the adjacent strata, sediment is more likely to enter the shaft. The action of continual over pumping can result in deterioration of water production over time.
What is needed is a system and method to effectively use a well for which the usage rate often exceeds the re-fill rate.